Forum Discussion
Feel free to ask questions about Thief or the guide in the Forum Discussion.
General Information
Thief is a non-buff support damage dealer in FFXI. It will largely be played as a damage dealer and specifically a skillchain closer as they have some of the strongest WS's in the damage. They can also plant hate on a player of their choosing as well as steal hate from other players to help maintain control of battle.
Roles
The two most common roles is that of damage over time by dual wielding daggers and gathering rare items due to the Treasure Hunter ability.
Abilities and Traits
Your high damage will be from using the tried and true Sneak Attack and Trick Attack. In the old days you would stack them and use both at the same time. Nowadays it's better to use each with a weapon skill since you can build TP quickly and help the tank maintain hate.
Job Traits
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Lvl.
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Name
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5
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Gilfinder
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10, 30, 50, 70, 76, 88
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Evasion Bonus
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15, 45, 90
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Treasure Hunter
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20, 40, 66, 75, 81
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Resist Gravity
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55, 95
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Triple Attack
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60
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Assassin
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75
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Ambush
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75
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Aura Steal
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78, 84, 91, 97
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Crit. Atk. Bonus
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83, 90, 98
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Dual Wield
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Treasure Hunter
- See also: Volte Armor Set
- During Dark Matter campaigns, Herculean armor may also commonly receive TH+ augments of +1-2.
Look, we all seem to act like Treasure Hunter is some mystery, but it is not.
- A THF also must be on the hate list for TH to be active. It can't just stand there and give the effect.
- TH is actually a debuff. So it is safe to say that the Thief must act offensively against the target to apply the effect, and not simply gain hate with a non-offensive ability or spell on a party member with enmity.
- This means you don't have to melee, but you must use something like Bully or Provoke. Collaborator, Warcry, etc will get you on the list, but not apply TH.
- This can be seen in Voidwatch where TH grants a bonus to uncapped lights. The bonus only occurs if the Thief acts offensively against the target, and not for being in party or idly using something on a party member with hate.
- You may remove TH equipment and retain the current effect.
- If you are KOed then you lose the effect unless another THF is on the hate list.
- TH caps at +8 on equipment. This includes your trait of +3.
- Procs increase TH further to 12, and upwards of 14 with Job Point Gifts.
- TH makes things drop more frequently, stop nitpicking how much it matters.
- Here is a the official SE post on TH. It won't mean anything to most players. All you need to know is what was just said prior.
- If an item shares the same drop slot then Treasure Hunter will not increase drop rate.
- Stop being weird and making up rumors:
- A THF doesn't need to land the last hit.
- No special item helps with TH or drop rates other than TH+ items.
- Moon phases are for boobs in tinfoil hats.
Procing TH
- Multiple Thieves may work in tandem to each proc and raise the same TH level of a foe.
- No matter how much TH+ equipment you wear, you may not proc higher than TH 8 → 9 for the first proc.
- Wearing a total Treasure Hunter level equal to or lower than the current TH level on an opponent decreases the chance of procing TH.
- You must have at least a level higher than the current level applied to increase the rate of TH procs.
- Proc occurences caps at a set rate.[1] Wearing more TH+ than the next level will not increase the rate it increases.
- This fixed proc rate of TH increase is not static for all levels. TH proc rates are capped at a fixed rate, but that set rate decreases with each level increase on TH. [2]
- Those two official posts are a perfect example of why players are confused. SE's messaging has lead to confusion, but now that we know, it is simple.
- Nonetheless, you need to be above the current level to avoid a decrease in proc rate.
- TH may proc on a WS, but you wont receive a message.
- TH Only procs on the first hit of an attack round.
Merits
Group 1
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Name
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Description
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Level
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Notes
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Flee Recast
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Shorten recast time by 10 seconds.
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0/5
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This is not really a needed upgrade and the points are better spent elsewhere.
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Hide Recast
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Shorten recast time by 10 seconds.
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0/5
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This is not really a needed upgrade and the points are better spent elsewhere.
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Sneak Attack Recast
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Shorten recast time by 2 seconds.
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0/5~5/5
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You may prefer SA or TA or to do a little of each. Ideally you would want SA 5/5.
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Trick Attack Recast
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Shorten recast time by 2 seconds.
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0/5~5/5
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Situational, it is often easier to connect TA than SA. Let your logic set you free.
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Triple Attack Rate
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Increase triple attack rate by 1 percent.
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5/5
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Max this out.
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Group 2
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Name
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Description
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Level
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Notes
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Assassin's Charge
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Will triple your next attack. Recast: 5min. Increase chance of fourfold attack by 5 percent.
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0/5
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This JA didn't scale well. We TP so quickly, and TA does little for WS damage, it's not worth it.
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Feint
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Your next attack will greatly reduce an enemy's evasion. Recast: 2min. Increase chance of Treasure Hunter level up by 25 percent.
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4/5
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Helps with Treasurer Hunter gain. So good idea to max this. Can go 5/5 and lose an Ambush if you want.
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Aura Steal
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Adds a Dispel effect to Steal. Occasionally absorbs dispelled effect. Increase absorb rate by 20 percent.
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1/5
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Always go 1/5 to add more utility to the job. Dispelling an Ice Spikes move can solve headaches for you and the group.
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Ambush
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Grants an accuracy bonus to melee and ranged attacks from behind an enemy. Increase accuracy bonus by 3.
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5/5
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This isn't amazing, but a passive minor bonus is better than nothing.
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Support Jobs
This is the highest damage option for sub jobs if your attack isn't capped due to Berserk. However, it lacks Invisible, Sneak, damage mitigation, or healing, and as such is only viable when you have reliable healing or are fighting a monster with no Area of affect moves/spells/abilities.
Enmity shedding with High Jump aside, the WS Damage Boost trait is what makes this the best sub for DDing while attack capped. The Conserve TP isn't terrible either given that Double Attack as a trait is weak for THF.
This offers sufficient utility, as well as healing should you be doing an event where trusts are not allowed or there are some shall we say— issues.
Also provides Sneak and Invisible. This is one of the main subs for soloing as a Thf. While leveling, the time to start using Dancer as your Support is at 40 so you have access to Dual Wield.
Sometimes you just need damage or TP move mitigation. This sub also offers sneak and invisible. Since Thief doesn't get native Dual Wield until Level 83, subbing Ninja starting at Level 20 is the best option until you reach 40. You may then use Dancer as your support.
From 50+ /NIN will still provide another tier of Dual wield until 90/98 when a third is granted and then natively gained.
This is the defensive subjob of choice if shadows aren't viable, which is a lot of endgame content. Magic defense bonus will mean you take less damage from all sources of magic and runes will offer you 58 resistance of an element of your choice.
Thief (as well as Dancer) may also push upwards of a 20% parry rate with this sub, Turms Leggings +1, and a parry +5 augment on an Ambuscade cape. Pretty neat.
Equipment
Weapons
Eminent Dagger
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- More than likely your first ilevel weapon.
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Homestead Dagger
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- This is the most easily obtained ilvl 119 dagger. It will provide you a solid accuracy boost for early levels.
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Atoyac
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- This is from a Wildskeeper Reive so it shouldn't be terribly difficult for a new player to acquire. It can be augmented with occasionally attacks twice. This will be your best in slot farming dagger and best offhand early in your Thieving when you aren't hurting for accuracy.
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Izhiikoh
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Sabebus
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- This dagger is able to serve you as a stop gap if you take a moment to get it. You may offhand it over Atoyac if you need the accuracy, but then again you can just use the Homestead Dagger for that purpose. At least until you move on to a better dagger like the Ternion Dagger +1, Jugo Kukri +1, or Shijo.
- Can't see a reason to get this over the Izhiikoh in the mainhand as they are roughly equal to obtain in difficulty; all things considered.
- Path B and C are both fine if you want to offhand it, take your pick it is only temporary.
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Sandung
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- A good choice for the Treasure Hunter +1 or accuracy, but is poor on DPS despite the bonus to Weapon Skill Damage. If you finished Rhapsodies of Vana'diel you may augment it for +50 Accuracy, +5% Critical Hit Rate and +3% Triple Attack.
- Once augmented this is still only good dagger to help reach necessary levels of accuracy if you fall short, and even then that is an very poor excuse to use this.
- The bottom line is that Taming Sari or an augmented Skinflayer are significantly better daggers.
- TL;DR:Absolute garbage, get a Shijo instead.
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Ipetam
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- Sure you may get this for free from Intermediate RoE objectives, but this isn't worth augmenting to make it worthwhile. Just get the Izhiikoh and save yourself time and money.
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Jugo Kukri +1
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- This dagger is fairly easy to acquire from the UNM Vedrfolnir if you have some friends and Baraera.
- This low delay dagger is a much better offhand than a Sandung and prior options unless you need accuracy. However that opens the door to other arguments like food, better gear (Ternion Dagger +1, even), lacking proper buffs, not being ready for the content in question, etc over using the Sandung.
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Ternion Dagger +1
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- It is roughly equal in its unaugmented form to offhanding a Jugo +1, but with an accuracy boost which likely makes that the determining factor in choosing it.
- This is an excellent offhand when augmented though where it gains a further +40 accuracy and +5% WSD. Barring any accuracy needs, it is not the best offhand for the leading combinations such as Tauret/Shijo, Aeneas/Twash, or Twash/Cento, but it has some real value still. The evasion isn't bad either for Omen farming, Divergence or Odyssey fodder, etc if you have such evasion sets to make it work for you.
- Have an Aeneas or Vajra and haven't made Twashtar to offhand? Then this is your best option.
- Have an augmented Twashtar, but aren't buffed enough on higher content to use a TP bonus Centovente? Welcome to your best offhand option.
- Are you not capping accuracy? Welcome to the better choice.
- Depending on your accuracy sets and buffs, just changing your offhand to this dagger may be your best step in preserving your overall DPS.
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Shijo
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- With the introduction of this dagger as a reward from Domain Invasion, any Thief can have this with almost no effort in 2-3 real days for a total of 30 minutes or less.
- If you can only obtain one of these then creating a path D will serve as an offhand until you obtain Taming Sari or an augmented Skinflayer.
- While working on Kaja Knife, pair this offhand with your Izhiikoh unless you obtain two. In which case create a Path C for your mainhand with Path D in your offhand.
- Your Izhiikoh has really just about reached the end of it's mileage at this point.
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Taming Sari
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- This is the best mainhand dagger you can get before Tauret, Ultimate Weapon, or a very well augmented Skinflayer. The base stats are solid, but the potential augments are icing on the cake. If you can put up with doing enough Sinister Reign runs.
- The Max Augments are Damage +15, Strength +10, Dexterity +10 and Treasure Hunter +1, but DMG +14, STR and DEX +9/8 are much more common and perfectly acceptable.
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Skinflayer
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- This is a good dagger if you play the augment game with Oseem, and competes with or all things depending may even surpass a Taming Sari if you get great augments. Aim for DEX+ and TA+, if it is a mainhand then DMG+ as well.
- However, even with the inclusion of this to Domain Invasion, I would argue that it is hard to justify even aiming for this dagger anymore given the introduction of the superior Tauret. Even the Kaja Knife is a superior choice and saves you the time and effort of augmenting this. Besides, you have Herculean to spend time augmenting anyway instead, and the DI poits are better spent on an Odr Earring. If this was just handed to you though rather than bought with DI points, then given the aforementioned it may still be a good choice for your THF.
- Use a Kaja Knife, spam Evisceration and SA or TA Rudras when the timers are up and you will outpreform a Skinflayer or Taming Sari in your mainhand.
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Tauret
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- An Ultimate Weapon in all but definition, the final two stages of the Ambuscade dagger are the best you can get short of Aeneas or Twashtar. In attack starved situations a Tauret nips at the heels of an R15 Vajra while handily beating one without augments, and should be what you use if under-buffed. Evisceration +50% turns what is already a good weapon skill into the best option when Sneak Attack and Trick Attack aren't ready.
- Tauret is also very obtainable for all players given enough patience. Just farm Tier 3s in Escha - Zi'Tah.
- The Kaja Knife stage before the Tauret will be the best knife for aspiring Thieves before upgrading to the final stage or an Aeneas or Twashtar.
- Offhand this with a Shijo Path D.
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Ultimate Weapons
Augmented REAM Weapon Notes: For all intents and purposes nothing has really changed. I will get around to an updated write-up sometime.
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Mandau
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- Oh how times change. Mandau was once a mighty weapon, but nowadays it is nothing except an ornamental time sink. Rudras and even Mandalic dance all over Mercy Stroke so the pittance of an aftermath from this weapon isn't even worth activating. Normally a Relic weapon is still at least better than other ordinary options, but even a decently augmented Taming Sari is a much better weapon than this for a fraction of the cost and work.
- That is right, this is worse than just using a Taming Sari , and the attack+ doesn't even work in the offhand.
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Vajra
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- It is okay to love the Vag, but not the Vajra as this weapon seems to have somewhat of a cult status. Where certain players will swear by it as the best dagger. Certainly it can be as well, but ultimately it is not the best dagger.
- A Thief already runs a high rate of multi attack, and the order of effects occuring is Quad → Triple → Double → Occ. Attacks twice or thrice. This means the gain in swings from activating AM3 on this weapon is greatly diminished which eats away at its performance. Roughly, you will only be swinging about +10% more depending on your gear and buffs.
- The next caveat of this weapon is that it is very dependent on successfully utilizing Sneak and Trick Attack. Every time the monster turns during SA or a player moves during TA it is a bigger deal than with other weapons.
- Bottom line, this weapon is better than most, but generally not the best. If you are in serious need of only the fusion property from Mandalic to close skillchains or in some situation where you are holding TP to 3,000 regularly then this weapon has a chance at beating out the rest. Overall, these are not a common occurrences, and the bonuses of Aeneas will carry the day time and again.
- Vajra is not a weak dagger or even far behind. The issue is that Rudra's is a beast, and Aeneas feeds that beast better.
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Twashtar
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- This is the Empyrean dagger and will be set to one of your two hands if you acquire it. It beats out any competition from ordinary weapons, and best sits in your offhand if you acquire it and either the mythic Vajra (Level 119 III) or ideally an Aeneas.
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Aeneas
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- Rudra's spam with Aeneas is stronger than Mandalic with Vajra is the headline of this weapon. That and the fact everyone calls this dagger "anus".
- While the TP Bonus is not a 30% boost to the WS, it also cuts into that bonus while using Aeneas to close Light with Mandalic Stab. This weapon excels both while ignoring skillchains and while performing them.
- THF also has the ability to either create solo Umbra or Radiance as well with Aeneas, but this is more often a gimmick or situational need than a practical one.
- Radiance:
- Umbra
- These skillchains are still valid for general use without Aeneas, but simply create double light or dark instead.
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Prioritizing Equipment
There are two main sets a THF needs. The first major one is the TP set in which you first want to cap your delay reduction. The next are your WS sets, and obviously you should have some DT sets as a third priority if you want to be valued. Woah, lets cool it on that sick elitist rhetoric, right?
Well, if you didn't care then you wouldn't be reading any advice on being better. So, dont be that guy, and make some defensive sets for physical, magical, magic evasion, evasion, etc. As long as you cap Damage Taken you can always go back later and min max out some sets, but just have something worthwhile to resort to. Luckily there are sets below for you.
So your TP set on THF generally requires 26% equipment haste, 44% magic haste (marches from bard, haste from mages), and a certain amount of dual wield based on the buffs you have. You can go to Attack Speed for the more intricate numbers. If you're fully buffed though, you need DW+11, of DW+6 if you've acquired 550 JP (since the 5% delay reduction is the same thing as DW+5).
After you've reached that (or very close) you need to stack accuracy until you are around the accuracy cap for the content you're doing. This is going to vary, but sometimes other players or pages on the wiki will explain the accuracy required. Parsing with third party tools is the best way to get this right otherwise.
Next step is to stack Triple Attack and Store TP. I'd value +2~2.5 STP similar to 1% Triple Attack. This comparison is going to change based on your gear and buffs, as the more TA you get, the more STP helps, and vice versa, so try for a general balance around that ratio.
If you can't decide between two pieces after all of that is considered, choose the one with more magic evasion or defensive stats, as you can't deal any damage while dead.
For weapon skills you largely need one type of gear, which is to stack DEX and Weapon skill damage+. Rudra's Storm and Mandalic Stab are our two strongest WS and both scale nicely with just those two main stats. Evisceration needs crit damage and then crit rate gear, as well as some more Accuracy+ to consider
For Exenterator, just stack AGI/ACC/ATT as it doesn't crit and doesn't scale well with WSD. Rudra's is your bread and butter WS, strong both stacked and unstacked, but you need attack buffs to really pump out any cool numbers. In a scenario where you have to deal without attack buffs, Mandalic, which has a native attack boost to it, can outpace Rudra's. This is true in general, but especially is with an augmented mythic.
If you are just a mule/new THF looking to be better than worthless. Toss on your Tauret/Shijo and spam Evisceration while SCing with SA or TA Rudras.
TP Sets
THF sets by Spicyryan.
- I wanted to make up some good tiered TP sets for THF. The following tries to balance progression while avoiding pointless time sinks like augmenting full sets of skirmish weapons and armor.
TP Sets last Updated: --Spicyryan (talk) 23:30, 8 October 2018 (EDT), last I went balls deep into this, but I have addedSOME updates otherwise.
I will state when I find this to be overall satisfactory for the sets as a whole. I have too many other guides to focus on in the meantime. Otherwise, these sets aren't far off at worst.
TP sets abide with the following criteria:
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- Lowest Tier: Basic/pre ilvl stuff or things purchased from the AH.
- Lower Tier: Delve, Skirmish, and WKR equipment.
- Low Tier: Alluvion Skirmish, Ambuscade NQ Armor, Reforged Armor ilvl 109, High-Tier Mission Battlefields, easier UNMs
- Mid Tier: Ambuscade +1 Armor and Capes, Reforged Armor ilvl 119, Sinister Reign, Incursion, harder UNMs, Vagary, Escha, 119 Abjurations (NQ), AF +2 Omen only
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- Includes the 5% DW+ gift, anything lower doesn't.
- Max Tier: 119 Abjurations (HQ), Divergence +3, Expensive HQ Synths, Odyssey augments, and ridiculous augment are considered.
- No DM augments, figure it out.
- Still includes the 5% DW+ gift.
- Since Abjuration +1 gear has fallen in price so much due to Escutcheons I may start putting it in the high tier, but I want to avoid muddying the waters or needing to add lots of notes.
- BUT IT IS JUST GIL!!!! No, you don't understand then.
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- Uk'uxkaj Cap with DEX+ augmented is also good.
- You will struggle with accuracy on anything semi-challenging until the next tier.
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- At capped haste you want ~11% DW before the Job Trait gift.
- Don't go nuts since you replace this all soon. Canny is your best back before the Ambuscade cape despite overshooting your DW.
- If you had a max 5% DW, you should know to change your Ear or Waist so that you have 10% DW and not 15%.
- 119ing your the Poulaines would bring you closer to parity and save effort.
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- Just keep your DW level between your ear, waist, and offhand in this set.
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- It is tight on the feet here, but this is what I think is the case.
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- In general it is competitive when attack isn't capped, and always better when making use of the augment.
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TP Accuracy Sets
Based off of the Max Tier set.
Accuracy sets last updated: --Spicyryan (talk) 14:14, 8 July 2019 (EDT)
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- Yes, the hands change paths here.
- May simply ignore this, still almost +100 acc
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- Last set you should rarely need to hit.
- Plunderer's Bonnet +3 is nice for situations where you need accuracy (good chance you need attack too), and may be used in a "mid-size fits all" set.
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- Other slot options, more so for newer players.
- Pillager's +2 instead if you have it.
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- You should never need really need this set.
- DPS starts flying downhill at this point for less gains in accuracy.
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DT Sets
Philosophy: There is no universal best set. If you aren't going to make more than one DT set then stop reading this guide.
- While you can get very granular, at the least you should have a capped DT set, a hybrid set, and and a decent idle DT set, IMO.
DT sets last updated: --Spicyryan (talk) 23:13, 6 October 2020 (EDT)
- NQ DD DT doesn't really need any updates.
- Hybrid DD DT does, but the rest are updated.
- I know people won't like it, but Moonlight Ring always seems to lose out to the fact having 2 more PDT on a finger lets you shift pieces around to ultimately use better pieces of armor that make the ring subpar overall.
- I see this over and over and over again when I try to make DT sets for RUN too. Just my opinion though.
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- If you are a new player, you may simply use the Meghanada/Mummu +1/2 pieces.
- DW Earring if you lack JPs.
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- Just a better DDing set than the previous, but requires more work/gil.
- +1 Neck is fine.
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-28/29% PDT is sufficient for a hybrid set. Goal is to keep the highest DPS with the most reasonable DT gains without going too high.
- Ammo is a weak slot though so picking up 2-3% there is ideal.
- Its just basically 2 pieces of gear.
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Evasion +684 AGI +223 PDT -39%
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- As a naked Hume with Master, I have 606 Evasion on THF.
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WHO LIKES NITPICKING?! . . Kicking?! Oh! I wanna do some kicking!
- Speaking of, Eabani is a big dip for the loss in DW. Who cares though?!
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- You should have a 20% parry rate in this, which is neat.
- You are going to need buffs such as Mambo or Geo-Voidance.
- You are going to need debuffs such as Blind, Barbed Crescent, Geo-Slip.
- You are going to need to find the Accuracy of the foe in question.
- Salt Ramen may be helpful.
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WS Sets
WS Sets by Spicyryan
WS Sets last Updated: --Spicyryan (talk) 23:26, 9 October 2020 (EDT)
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- Moonshade Earring is not optional. It is one of the single largest boosts to your Rudras at any tier.
- WS at about 1570-1750 TP, aim for the 1500s.
- Ramuh Rings, are really going to last you until Omen with the Ilabrat and Regal.
- Regal will likely elude you for awhile until you have a decent LS/shout group.
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- NQ Lust < Plunderer +2 < Lust +1 < Plunderer +3 for unstacked solo Rudras
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- If you lack at least the augment posted. Then use Pillager's Vest +3.
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- Moonshade Earring is not optional. It is one of the single largest boosts to your Rudras at any tier.
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- +2 Plunderer's are weaker than +3 Pillager.
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- Meghanada +2 if you lack the Plunderer +2.
- The higher your TP, the more dex/crit dmg+ herc boots are valued, but this assumes you aren't holding TP.
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Mid Solo Exenterator|
- Infused Earring over Tati if attack is capped.
- Mummu +1 body, hands, and feet over Meg. if attack is capped.
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- Meghanada +2 if you lack the Plunderer +2.
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- Use Hachirin-no-Obi when applicable.
- Focus on WSD, MAB, and INT with lesser importance on DEX since you aren't going to be capping INT on anything that isn't fodder.
- For example Apex mobs in Doh Gates have around 256-300 INT depending on the mob and level. You wont hit even 288 INT in gear to free up room for DEX.
- Feel free to just use your 30 DEX 10 WSD Rudra's Cape and save a slot too.
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Misc Sets
Sets last updated: --Spicyryan (talk) 18:29, 2 October 2020 (EDT)
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You know, cuz sometimes enmity matters.
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